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Rumor mill: next gen Xboxes + Kinect 2 to read lips, track fingers, make unicorns real
Pinches of salt at the ready, folks. According to the latest speculation, Microsoft's sequel to the Xbox 360 will actually be two models, a pared down set-top box for casual gamers and a heftier model for the hardcore. Either way, Xbox 720 / Xbox Loop's getting paired up with a revised version of the magnificent Kinect hardware. The digital grapevine's saying that Kinect 2 will be able to read your lips, track your fingers and sense the tone of your voice to determine if you've come over all angry. It can't do that currently thanks to its USB cable, which can only transmit 16MB/s of data -- limiting the camera's resolution to 320 x 240 at 30fps. We don't know what protocol the new sensor bar will use, but we do know that either USB 3.0 (which can transmit 400 MB/s) or Intel's Thunderbolt (700MB/s) would remove such limitations. In related news, 2012's Kinect for Windows is getting a shorter USB cable for better data integrity and a refocused image sensor that will switch to "near mode" to see objects 50cm away -- which means a whole bunch of classic Kinects and Nyko Zooms are gonna wind up as a filling for a New Mexico landfill.
Mac App Store will be live in January '11, says The Loop
One of the good things about our friend Jim Dalrymple at The Loop (to be clear, he has many positive qualities) is that when he says "my sources tell me," you know he's been talking to people in a position to have the real scoop. In this case, he's laying it on the line and saying the Mac App Store will positively, certainly not launch next week. We noted reports on Tuesday that had rumored an early launch for the Mac App Store, with an anticipated date of 12/13 -- now Dalrymple says that those rumors are pure hokum, and the target for the store launch is sometime in January. He doesn't have an exact date, but he believes it will be in time for Apple to meet its announced launch horizon of 90 days post-Back to the Mac event.
Review: Griffin Loop for the iPad
Griffin Technology is known for making handy accessories for the Mac and iPod/iPhones. The MacBook Pro that I am using to write this article is currently supported by the Griffin iCurve (which was later replaced with the Elevator), which I've been using for about 6 years now. When I saw the Loop for the iPad, I knew it was going to be something that I wanted to use. As shown above, it will hold your iPad in either "portrait" or "landscape" orientation, but if you look at the very front of the Loop, you will see a slight edge there as well. You can rest the iPad at a lower angle, which is more comfortable for typing (see image here). What is harder to see in the pictures is that the notches to hold the iPad in the upright position (as shown above) are cut a little wider than necessary. This turns out to be a big benefit if you use a case for your iPad, since you can use the Loop without taking it out of the case. Another nice touch is that, when held in portrait mode with the dock connector on the bottom, there is enough clearance to keep the iPad plugged in. The same is not true for the SD card reader and USB camera connector kit accessories for the iPad, but I use those far less often than the sync cable. The Loop is heavy enough that it won't move around, even if you are tapping on the touchscreen. It has some non-slip material on the bottom of it as well. My only (relatively minor) complaint is that the material doesn't cover the entire bottom of the base, which seems like a strange decision to make; it means there are several edges that can get caught and pulled off, making the Loop uneven. I haven't actually had this happen, it just seems like a risk that could have been easily avoided. At US$30, the Loop is on the more expensive side of the various iPad stands out there, but it's versatile enough to give you different ways of using it. If my experience with the iCurve is any indicator, you should be able to use this for many years to come. The ability to keep the case on the iPad is a big "win" for me. Given that the Loop's notch is open, I suspect that whenever Apple announces the second version of the iPad, the Loop will be able to hold it securely, too (even if Apple "tweaks" the design, as they have shown they like to do with the iPhone). Of course, only time will tell.
Microsoft's Kin saves a Roots show: a touching recollection by Questlove
The Kin may be dead and buried, but you can bet that the legacy of Microsoft's biggest failure in the phone market will live long in the minds of technophiles. What you probably wouldn't bet, however, is how it'll also live long in the mind of famed Roots drummer Questlove. You heard right -- the same beat maker that was caught FaceTiming with our own Josh Topolsky during a recent sit-down on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has a special place in his heart for the fallen phone series, and he's taken the time to pen a memoir detailing the reasons why. Undoubtedly an avid visitor of the (temporarily down) Kin R.I.P. web memorial, Questlove was recently held up behind a team of brats at the airport. As the story goes, even arriving 75 minutes early to his flight wasn't enough to clear through on a flight to Canada, leaving him in quite the pickle. If he didn't hop on this bird, his band mates would be struggling to please fans sans a drummer. As is so often the case these days, Quest ran into a particularly perturbed airline agent who wasn't about to bend in order to get him onboard; rather than name-dropping himself, he simply agreed to have his photo taken with a smattering of fans who just happened to waltz by during his pleading. Suddenly, the light popped on in the mind of the agent: "OMG! You are the guy in the Kin commercial... I see that commercial all the time!" Needless to say, Quest's ego took a serious hit, but he did manage to catch his flight and make the show in the Great White North. He told his manager that it was the "Kin commercial he almost passed on" that got him to the show, and closed with a simple remark: "R.I.P. Kin." Hit those source links for the full skinny -- it's a compelling read, we assure you. Oh, and that aforesaid ad is embedded just past the break.
Microsoft Kin: everything you ever wanted to know
For as long as Windows Mobile 6.x overstayed its welcome, Microsoft seems to be doing what it can to launch a full-out assault on the mobile battlefield -- first with Windows Phone 7, and now less than a month later with Kin. As we were reminded ad nauseam at the unveiling, the pair of devices -- dubbed Kin One and Kin Two -- aren't for the tech enthusiasts in the crowd, but rather for a younger audience Microsoft is calling "generation upload." That's apparently a group whose life is focused around capturing memories and updating Facebook, without any care or concern whatsoever for apps. Will Microsoft's gamble for control of the feature phone market prove successful? That remains to be seen, but for everything we know so far, read on!%Gallery-90313%
Hillcrest Labs builds TV-friendly Kylo browser for its Loop pointer, Hulu promptly blocks it
In what is becoming a depressingly familiar tale, Hillcrest Labs has just released a free new browser based on Mozilla with a TV-friendly UI designed for control from the couch, but despite these friendly and standards-compliant underpinnings, Hulu has already managed to block the Kylo browser, mere hours out of the gate. Apparently Hulu worked fine in testing all the way up to launch, and Hillcrest Labs is looking for a solution as we speak. Hillcrest, Boxee feels your pain. Meanwhile, we played around with Kylo a bit using one of those Loop pointers for gyroscope-based cursor control, and found the mousing experience just as intuitive as ever, setup non-existent (we tested on a Mac, but it's easy on a PC as well), and the browser nicely unobtrusive and distance friendly. Typing with the onscreen keyboard is about exactly as nice as typing with your mouse, which is to say "not preferred," but completely doable in a pinch. The address bar has the same sort of URL prediction we've come to know and love in modern browsers, though we wouldn't mind if it pulled in our Firefox history to round out the database from the start. In theory we also think the Loop pointer could provide some sort of more intuitive control for zooming and panning, but overall it's a simple, clean UI that should at least beat out your PS3 or Wii browser for this sort of duty -- if you're smart enough and rich enough to get your PC or Mac plugged into your TV, or have an extra one to spare. The browser also of course works with any old mouse you might having lying around, but Hillcrest Labs sure hopes you'll make the Right Choice. Check out a video of the browser and Loop pointer in action after the break. %Gallery-88725%
Eigenharp Alpha, Pico demo and mind-blowing concert (hands-on)
Remember the Eigenharp Alpha and Pico that we broke news of last week? Sure you do, but we bet you still haven't a clue how those long, elegant sticks work. The forty employees at Eigenlabs probably heard us simultaneously scratching our heads so they kindly invited us to their London studio for a quick demo, and boy, those musical wands look great up close, not to mention their remarkable flexibility for user configuration as well. John Lambert, Founder and Chairman of Eigenlabs, managed to sneak out of his busy schedule to give us the lowdown on the Eigenharps. It all started in his Devon barn about eight years ago and over time the Alpha was groomed into a 132-key beast, followed by the recently-developed, self-explanatory Pico. The defining character of both Eigenharps lies in their "completely new sensor technology" consisting of pressure sensitive keys, that can do dual-axis vibrato (not dissimilar to string instruments), accompanied by strip controllers for applying filters or pitch bend, or anything at all depending on how you configure them on their Mac software suite (Windows-support due in January). Likewise with the breath pipe: once you've loaded your library and presets you can switch from a Kenny G to a Daft Punk at the simple click of a key. Heck, you can even configure the air pressure sensitivity as well if you're tickling for a soft mood, or just feeling lazy. And those funky LED lights, you ask? Well, they're actually indicators for the different modes you're in rather than just being pretty. Watch the walkthrough videos after the break and you'll get a better idea. %Gallery-75673%
Video: Mysterious Eigenharp offers blinkenlight sitar looks, chilled-out Moby grooves
There was a time when instruments were limited by their shapes, strings, valves. Today they're only limited by human creativity, and we'd have to say the folks at Eigenlabs certainly aren't lacking in that department -- they seem to have a bountiful supply of buttons and LEDs, too. Eigenlabs has given birth to the Eigenharp, an instrument that is still largely mysterious, but as you can see in the first video below it seems to allow musicians to loop samples, finger drum, and even play like an oboe. The second video shows off the thing's sequencer, a combination of features that could make this the perfect electronica accompaniment for your next sit-in. Exactly what else it can do remains to be seen, but we'll probably go ahead and wait for for the four-button Guitar Hero version.
Hillcrest Labs Loop combines Wiimote, mouse, and Ouroboros
Hillcrest Labs has taken a few moments away from its bitter patent dispute with Nintendo to finally release its $99 Loop controller, a Freespace mouse intended primarily for use by those with some sort of HTPC setup. It's the latest in bangle-inspired design, sporting four buttons and a scroll wheel, compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems, and lacking any sort of chunky sensor bars or the like, detecting hand movements to glide the cursor across the screen. We hear it also makes a great accessory for geek-chic parties.
Patch 3.1 introduces new Kirin Tor rings
Wrath of the Lich King introduced a set of epic rings you could purchase in Dalaran for gold. While they were an obvious gold sink, they were legitimately useful, too. A gold sink done right, in my opinion. Rather than forcing us to pay to get our riding skill back or something like that, it was an optional (but very tempting) epic that you could drop the gold on if you want.Patch 3.1 is actually making this investment even sweeter. For another 1000g (at Exalted) you can upgrade your current ring (if you purchased one) for an improved version, keeping it current and relevant. You need to trade in the old one along with the gold when you pick up the new one, so you can't wear them both at the same time unless you re-purchase the first afterwards. Not a smart thing to do, in my opinion.If you want to see the stats on the new set of rings, just check out our little gallery below.%Gallery-45778%
New Dalaran rings on the PTR
There are two new rings that the Kirin Tor are offering to us all on the PTR (Public Test Realm). They are called the "Loop of the Kirin Tor" and the "Ring of the Kirin Tor." These rings were added, one can assume, over a lot of protest and QQing by tanks and healers. While the two rings currently in the game can be used by both roles in some situations, they are by no means what healers or tanks would be looking for.As a Protection Warrior I'm looking forward to this change going live. I'll have to fork over another 8,000g or so, but such is the price of epics.A closer look at the rings and their stats after the break.
Wii busts those block-rockin' beats
That Wii and Mac, they really make such a great couple. As you can see in the above video, when coupled with a Mac and utilizing the Amazing Rolo's Wii Loop Machine, the Wiimote that reinvented how we play games can also reinvent how you get your bad self down. The video really makes it look easy ... perhaps too easy. [Via TUAW]
